Putting Pen To Paper - Naegami Story

Ineffable Arc - 6

"Have visiting hours ended?" Makoto's chest heaved up and down as he tucked his jacket tight under his arm. The snow had been horrible to drive through, and now he was dragging it into the hospital.

"Don't worry about that sweetheart, you can head right in. It wouldn't be your first time breaking regular hours." The receptionist smiled kindly at him, her hands typing rapidly on her keyboard. Each key clicked loudly when pressed. The sound of it was familiar to Makoto, but he hadn't heard it like he had at the Future Foundation in a few months.

"Thank you so much! And sorry!" Slapping down the candy cane he had brought for her, he rushed off, hearing her call out her appreciation as he rushed to the elevator. The wait inside the elevator was nearly unbearable, but as soon as the doors open he squeezed through and down the hallway. To his surprise, Asahina was gently shutting the door of Togami's room when he reached it.

"Hina! What're you doing here!" He didn't mean for it to sound so surprised, but he usually only caught Hina in Kyoko's room this late.

Aoi smiled. "Just checking up on him! He ended up falling asleep just a few minutes ago."

Makoto felt his face heat up. "Asleep!"

"I take it you have something you need to tell him?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, wake the beast up if you're willing to risk it, Naegi. I'll be with Kirigiri if you need me, or whatever. Goodnight." Aoi took him in a soft embrace before she left down the hallway.

As Makoto stepped into the doorway, he froze, before peering back out at Hina's back. "I saw your speech today! Good job!" When she didn't respond, he stepped past the doorway, the door clicking shut, and indeed, Byakuya's eyes were closed, his flushed lips parted slightly. He looked...

Makoto inched forward, trying not to make a sound that might disturb him. His eyebrows, thin and blond and always perfectly plucked, turned upwards just the slightest degree. And although Makoto had been here many previous nights, he never got fully used to the vulnerability that crossed Togami's sleeping face sometimes. The one thing that suggested anything other than calm was the bandage that stretched from his sharp jaw to his bottom lip. The edge of the wound was visible, slicing down his soft skin, running through the line of pink. It looked astonishingly handsome on him, but guilt still crept in him every time he saw it. He had been the one to cut it, flinging the kitchen knife in front of him blindly, striking Togami deeply in so many places. Makoto frowned, dropping his jacket and sitting at the chair next to the bed. With his head in his hands, he sighed.

"I can't believe I'm the reason you're here. You don't seem to hold anything against me-something completely out of your nature-but I don't think I can stop feeling so horrible about this. Whenever I see the scars, the cast, I just..."

His palms felt wet as he pressed them hard down on his face, wrist biting into his jaw and gums.

"I need you to be alright. More than anything.

"And tomorrow I'm getting the mail I've missed. They've collected all they can. This means I'm getting to read the letters you sent that I never received. I can't wait to read them. ' Naegi, respond to me this instant or I'll come right over there myself!'"

Shaking his head, he reached out for Byakuya's hand, trying to ignore the feel of the deep gash on his palm. It had been from trying to grab the knife in defense. He held it gently, feeling the cool heat of life underneath the skin.

"Goodnight, Byakuya." He raised himself up from the chair, leaning over his companion. His lips pressed to his forehead for a moment before he slumped back into the chair and drifted off.